Romashka reactor

Romashka reactor
Cutaway view of an early ground-based Romashka reactor showing 11 fuel disks.
Generation	Experimental
Reactor concept	RTG
Status	decommissioned
Main parameters of the reactor core
Fuel (fissile material)	235U
Fuel state	solid disks, UC 2
Neutron energy spectrum	Fast
Primary control method	rod
Neutron reflector	Beryllium
Primary coolant	none (conduction)
Reactor usage
Primary use	research
Power (thermal)	40 kW
Power (electric)	0.3–10 kW

The Romashka reactor (Russian: Ромашка, lit. 'chamomile') was a Soviet experimental nuclear reactor. It began operation in 1964, and was developed by the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy. The reactor used direct thermoelectric conversion to create electricity, rather than heating water to drive a turbine.^[1] It is thus similar to a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, but higher power.

The Romashka reactor was developed with the intention of using nuclear power in space satellites, but was superseded by the more powerful BES-5 reactor. The project was canceled after the death of Sergei Korolev, who was heavily involved in the project.^{[citation needed]}